Rheostat for electric lamps



J. H. WAGENHORST.

RHEOSTAT FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS. APPLICATION FILED FEB, 23. 1922.

1,434,172, Patented 0ct.31,1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J. H. WAGENHORST.

RHEOSTAT FOR ELECTRIC LA MPS. APPLICATION FILED FEB; 23. 1922.

Patented Oct. 31, 1922.

4 SHEETSSHEE1 3.

S 3a m J 33 I flaw/W W Jfl Wa d, W

Jfaxb/fr MW J. H. WAGENHORST.

RHEOSTAT FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 22, 922.

13434, 172. Patented Oct. 31, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Patented Get. 31, 1922.

UNITED STATES JAMES H. WAGENHORST, JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

RHEOSTAT FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS.

Application filed February 23, 1922. Serial No. 538,812.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES H. WAenN- HORST, a citizen of the United States, reslding at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rheostats for Electric Lamps, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a novel construction of resistance designed for use in connection with an electric arc lamp which is used for electric blue printing and also for photographic work. For blue print work one sort of arc is needed, whereas for photographic work a different type of arc is required; and ordinarily arc lamps intended for blue printing are not constructed for or equipped with appliances which render them capableof use for photographic work.

I'have designed such a lam and which will operate upon a definite amount of current for blue print work, and then by cutting in additional current the arc can be modified to photographic capabilities and without affecting the operative parts of the lamp. I

The object of the present invention is to provide a resistance to be interposed between the main line and lamp and by means of which the desired current canbe had according to the purpose for which the lamp is needed.

Another object of the inventionis to so arrange the different resistances that additional current can be supplied-to the arcs without any additional current being transmitted to the lamp proper, or are establishing means. 1

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a sectlonal View of a rheostat intended for use with a dlrect current and embodying one form of my invention; Fig. 2 is an end view of the same; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a view illustrating a simple form of resistance for use with alternating current; F ig, 4 shows a detail; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a rheostat intended for alternating current; Fig. 6 is a sectional plan vie-won the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the top of casing; Fig. 8 is a section on the line 88 of Fig. 5; Fig.

9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the circuits of the device shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in connection with an arc lamp; Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the circuit of the device shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 in connection with an arc lamp; and Fig. 11 shows a diagram of a slight modification.

In constructing the device for direct current I employ a air of heads 10 and 10 of asbestos or slmilar non-conducting material and preferably circular in shape and connect them by rods 11 passing through lava or porcelaln tubes 12, which serve as spacers for the heads and also as bases for coiling the wires 13 and 14 thereon. A perforated sheet metal covering 15 envelopes the heads, rods and wires and is held in place upon the heads by clamping rings 16. In the center of the head 10' there is a binding post 17 to which one of the conductors 18 is connected, and this conductor extends centrally through the casing and is connected to the inner end of a shaft 19, which carries the arms 20 and 21 upon the outer side of head, and also the inuslated handle or knob 22.

Contact points 13*, 13, 13, 13 13 are arranged in the head 10 and wires 13 leading from the coils on the tubes are connected to said points and points 14, 14 14 and 14 are also arranged in the head 10 andhave wires 14 connected thereto, said wires extending from different parts of the coil. Contact 13 is in the form of an are so that the arm 20 can contact therewith while arm 21* is being moved around into contact with points 14, 14", 14 and 14.

A coil spring 23 surrounds the shaft 19 and holds the arms in contact with. the points 13 and 14% and 24 indicates a stop pin to limit the movement of the contact arms 20 and 21,

When it is desired to use the lamp 25 for blue printing, the handle 22 is turned so as to bring thearm 20 into contact with point 13, and current flows through the wire 13 to the solenoid 26, and the arc is established. As the arm 20 is moved around to 13,-13 etc., additional resistance is cut out step by step and when the contact 13 is reached, the arm 20 will have reached its limit. If it is desired to supply additional current to the arcs without interfering with the solenoid, as for photographic 25 thus providing a choke coil, but so far to the top as the arrangement of the contact points is conceived, no changes will be made.

This form of device is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 10 and is adapted for use with an alternating current, and in Fig. 11 the leaves 26* which constitute the core of the choke coil are right angled in shape as shown, and the air gap is avoided but in this case. also the same general arrangement of the contact points and lever are maintained.

In Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 l[ have shown an.- other form of case and slightly modified arrangement of the contact points and levers,

and in constructing the device in accordance with this plan ll employ a flat top or face plate 30 of insulating material in which are located the contact points 13, 13", etc., and the points 14, 14*, etc.

This top or face plate 30 is connected to end pieces 31 which are flanged at 32 and secured to any suitable support. An inner plate 33 is also-held between the ends 31 and completes the box-like structure in which the resistance or-choke coils are contained.

These resistance or choke coils consist of cores 34 (preferably 2) composed of laminations of thin sheet metal held between connecting strips 35 and 36, and bolts 37 together with nuts 38 and washers 39 serve to bind the parts, together and also maintain them in the proper position with reference orface plate and the'end piece and inner plate.

s The line wires 13 and 14 are connected to bindingposts and from these posts, wires extend to and are coiled around the laminated cores and take-off wires lead to the COIllifiCtvPOlIltS 13, 13", etc. and the points 14*, 14", etc. i

At the center of the top or face plate is a bolt 40 and to the inner end thereof is connected the wire leading to the arc lamp. Upon the outer end of said bolt is mounted a contact arm or lever 41' having an insulator knob 41 and also a stop lug 42 near the hub end of said arm and upon said bolt is also mounted a contact lever or arm 43 having an insulator knob 43*. The contact arm orlever 43 is adapted to make contact with the points 13?, 13", etc. andthe armor lever 41 is adapted to make contact with the contact points 14*, 14, etc. and a spring 44 surrounds the bolt and holds the levers so that a proper contact will be had with the points. In this case the contact 13 is in the form of an arc.

By means of the stop lug 42 it will be impossible to move the arm 41 until the arm or lever 43 has been moved at least far enough to close the circuit and establish the arc. The arm 43 can then be moved around to cut out more and more of the resistance and then, if desired, the arm 41 can be moved to cut out the resistance and by reference to the diagrams in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 it will be .seen that the wires 13 lead to the solenoid and then to the arcs 12 whereas wires 14 connect with the are without passing through the solenoid. In this manner, the

arc can be established and maintained upon ditional resistance andsupplying the addi tional current to the arcs, the device is transformed into one suitable for photographicpur oses.

aving thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with an arc lamp,.of a solenoid for operating the carbon of said are lamp, a circuit in which said solenoid-is located and in which a resistance is interposed and a second circuit in which the lamp is also included but in which the solenoid is not included and also a resistance, and switches controlling said circuits, the switches controlling the second circuit being operable only while the switch for the first named circuit is closed.

2. The combination with an arc lamp embodying a solenoid, of a circuit including a variable resistance and switch therefor, anda second circuit including a variable resistance and switch therefor but not including the solenoid.

3. The combination with an arc lamp embodying a solenoid, of a circuit including a variable resistance and switch therefor, and asecond circuit including a variable resistance and switch therefor, said second switch being operable only after the first switch has been closed but not including the solenoid.

4. The combination with a casing, of the heads of non-conductive material, a plurality of bolts connecting said heads, insulatin'g tubes surrounding said bolts, line wires leading into said casing, resistance wire coiled about said insulating tubes, a series of leads taken from the resistance coils at definite. points and extending to contact points carried by one of the heads, and a contact arm having connection with one of the line wires, and adapted to contact successively with said contact points whereby the current can be regulated as desired.

5. The combination with a resistance coil having a series of leads extending therefrom, of a plurality of contact points connected with said leads, a second resistance coil also having a series of leads extending therefrom, and also a plurality of contact points connected to said leads, a main line wire, a post to which said main line wire is connected, a contact arm mounted upon said post and adapted to contact with the first named contact and a second arm adapted to contact with the second contact, said first named arm being provided with means to prevent the movement of the second arm until the first arm has been moved into operative engagement with one of the first named contacts.

6. The combination with an arc lamp embodying a solenoid of a circuit including a variable resistance composed of choke coils, and a switch therefor, and a second circuit including variable resistance composed of choke coils, and provided with a switch but not including the solenoid.

7. The combination with an arc lamp embodying a solenoid of a circuit including a variable resistance composed of choke coils, and a switch therefor, and a second circuit including variable resistance composed of choke coils, and provided with a switch,

said second switch being operable only after the first switch is closed said second circuit not including the solenoid.

8. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a casing having an insulation head, of. choke coils arranged in said casing, contact points arranged in said head and having take-off wires leading from the choke coils to said points, a shaft mounted in said head and having a conductor connected thereto, a contact lever mounted upon said shaft and adapted to contact with certain of the points and having a stop lug near its inner end, and a second lever mounted also upon said shaft and adapted to Contact with the other points and with the stop lug when the first named lever is not in contact with one of the points.

9. In a device of the kind described, a casing comprising a top and bottom plate and end pieces, of choke coils supported from the top plate, line wires connected to said coils, take-offs leading from said coils, contact points arranged in the top plate, and spring actuated contact levers connected to the top plate and adapted to contact with the points, said levers being mounted upon a common pivot which in turn is connected to a conductor Wire.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

JAMES H. WAGEN HORST. 

